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Introduction

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A natural resource is any material, substance, or organism found in nature that is useful to people. Some natural resources are necessary for life, whereas others have economic value and contribute to industry. Air, water, soil, wildlife, forests, minerals, and fossil fuels are among the most familiar of Earth’s natural resources.

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Most natural resources are not distributed evenly around the Earth. For example, some areas have abundant water, whereas other places may be arid or prone to drought. Countries that are richly endowed with natural resources have an economic advantage because they can sell those resources to other countries. For example, countries with large forests generally are major exporters of wood, paper, and paper products.

Natural resources can be described as either renewable or nonrenewable based on whether they can be replaced in nature after they are used. Wood is an example of a renewable resource. After a tree is harvested, a new tree can be planted to replace it. In contrast, metals are nonrenewable resources. When a metal such as copper is mined, it cannot be replaced.

Renewable Resources

A renewable resource is a natural resource that cannot be used up or it is one that can be replaced within a human life span. Air, water, soil, plants, and animals are examples of renewable resources.

With the exception of some microorganisms that cannot tolerate oxygen, all living things need air, making this one of the most essential natural resources. Air surrounds Earth as the atmosphere. However, though air is limitless in supply, air quality is a problem in many parts of the world because of pollution.

Water is one of the most important natural resources. All living things need fresh water to survive. Most organisms can live for weeks without food but only days without water. However, only about 3 percent of Earth’s water is fresh water, and of this, only a tiny fraction is surface water, the water used by living things. Fresh water is not uniformly distributed around the world, and its availability strongly affects where and how organisms live. Getting enough fresh water is a serious problem in many places. Water pollution is a global problem affecting even areas with an abundant water supply. Thus, while water is a renewable resource, the supply of fresh surface water is limited in some places.

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Although it cannot be used for drinking, salt water also is an important natural resource. The water in oceans, estuaries, and saline wetlands is a vital part of those ecosystems. Pollution, oil spills, and other disturbances of these areas can disrupt food chains and destroy plant and wildlife populations.

Like air and water, soil is necessary to life on Earth. Soil provides water and nutrients for plants and soil-dwelling organisms such as bacteria, worms, and fungi. Soil supplies a medium for filtering and breaking down wastes and plays a critical role in cycling carbon and other elements through Earth’s systems. Only a thin layer of soil, called topsoil, can support plant life, including crops grown for food. Erosion, pollution, and poor land management can damage the topsoil layer, impacting soil fertility and usability.

Plants and animals are renewable resources of great importance to humans. Trees and plants provide food and raw materials for products ranging from clothing and furniture to medicines and fuels. Animals provide food and other products useful to humans. Plant matter and animal wastes are sources of alternative energy. Such energy sources are often termed biofuels because they come from living organisms.

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As resources, plants and animals are only renewable if they are replaced when used. Trees cut down for lumber and other uses must be replaced soon after harvest with new seedlings. Similarly, the amount of fish caught by sport and commercial fisheries must be carefully managed to allow fish populations time to reproduce and replace lost individuals.

Most organic renewable resources—plants, animals, and related products and wastes—are biodegradable. (Organic resources are those that are, or come from, living things.) Biodegradation occurs when microorganisms degrade, or break down, organic matter into inorganic substances that can be used by other organisms or recycled through Earth’s systems. The rate at which materials are degraded depends upon the type of material and conditions such as moisture, sunlight, and heat.

Nonrenewable Resources

Nonrenewable resources are natural resources that cannot be replaced after they are used. This means that they exist in a fixed amount on Earth. Rock, minerals, metals, uranium, and fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas are all nonrenewable resources.

Fossil fuels are so-named because they formed from the buried remains of ancient plants and animals over millions of years. Coal and liquid petroleum (oil) are used to generate electricity in power plants around the world. Oil and gasoline provide fuel for heating and operating machinery and motor vehicles. Petroleum is a source of chemicals used to make plastics, synthetic fabrics, medicines, and other products. Natural gas is used for heating and cooking.

Rocks, minerals, and metals are found within Earth’s crust. Rocks are removed by quarrying; minerals and metals must be removed by mining. Rocks provide materials for building homes and roads. Minerals and metals are used for manufacturing products ranging from household products to paints, pipes and other building supplies, computer chips, and more.

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Uranium is a radioactive element that occurs with many other minerals in Earth’s crust. Uranium ore is removed from the Earth by mining. The mined ore is crushed and the uranium is chemically extracted. Uranium ore is an important source of nuclear fuel. One pound of uranium produces as much energy as 3 million pounds (1.4 million kilograms) of coal.

Inorganic nonrenewable resources such as uranium, minerals, metals, and petroleum-derived products such as plastics are not biodegradable. Because these materials cannot break down through natural processes, they may last hundreds of years in the environment when discarded.

Some nonrenewable resources that formed from organic matter are biodegradable. For example, liquid petroleum can be degraded by oil-eating bacteria that break down the hydrocarbons in oil. However, coal is not biodegradable, even though it formed from plant matter.

Distribution of Natural Resources

The uneven distribution of natural resources across the Earth is due largely to past geological processes such as plate tectonics and volcanic activity. For example, the abundance of petroleum in the Middle East resulted from tectonic plate movement. Over millions of years, shifting plates “trapped” vast amounts of decayed organic matter in deep basins in the Persian Gulf. Some of the world’s most fertile soils are found near ancient and active volcanoes, where they formed through the weathering of volcanic rock. Most metal ore deposits formed around magma deep within ancient volcanoes over subduction zones.

Human Impact on Natural Resources

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Human activities have greatly affected the supply and quality of natural resources. Cars and factories use vast amounts of petroleum products every day. About 40 percent of the world’s electricity comes from coal-fired power plants. Such widespread use of fossil fuels is depleting reserves of these limited resources. Burning fossil fuels also impacts other natural resources by releasing toxic materials into the air, water, and soil.

Even renewable resources must be carefully managed to avoid misuse. Deforestation, mining, and land development have transformed natural areas, destroying ecosystems and harming soil and water supplies. Building dams and levees and redirecting water flow for irrigation have affected water quality and distribution in many areas.

The conservation of Earth’s natural resources is a global concern. By the start of the 21st century, roughly 18 percent of global electricity was supplied by renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and water power. In addition, scientists and engineers were developing methods to produce goods with less pollution and waste.

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